Consider my unbridled joy at being asked to attend a course next week on Tuesday and Wednesday in Knutsford! Whooop. The great thing is that I get 2 days off in the loo. So I am plotting at least 1 days riding maybe 2. The course finishes at 3 on weds so I can travel pretty much anywhere. I have not ridden in the peaks since about 1997 and I can only imagine that it must be more awesome than I remember.

To that end, make up your best day out in the peaks, I would like some forest as I am a bit of a under bridge type and avoid sunlight, possibly including a finish involving good quality food and beer and maybe somewhere to sleep.

I could probably manage 4 hrs riding, but try not to kill me, I am office fit.

Finish at 3, drive to Castleton and then riding till sundown? riding from 4-8 or later? sounds about right. ‘The Castle’ in castleton is a cracking pub, I think it’s even haunted as well iirc. Proper old fashioned place, very nice atmos inside and decent grub.
What sort of riding are you used to? some of the peak’s ascents can be very tough and time consuming.
Do you have a garmin to follow gpxs?

You can do Macc Forest after work on Wednesday, its only 20 minutes from Knutsford then have a full in the day around Edale/Hope or Hayfield the next day. I’d take you round but the wife’s away on business.

I,d park at Mam Tor down into Edale, Jacobs Ladder to Hayfield. Lunch then back to Mam Tor via Pennine Bridleway. Not many trees though.

Sorry, I meant I can drive to location on weds night and ride all day on thursday! But if I can fit a cheeky ride in on weds night then so much the better!
I can follow GPX. Or link me to strava segments, a colleague is coming who is a strava nut. Email in profile.

you’ve got all day! well defo go from Hope or Castleton then. give up any nonsense about 4hrs if I were you, lol. just eat at the top of every ascent and take plenty to drink. Where are you from? you’re in for a treat!

Thursday Ride – Head up the Roman road to Hope Cross, descend The Beast, climb Hagg Farm, Lockerbrook, descend Gores, round to Fairholmes, Up to the Shelter on Grindle Clough, Round the wall to Whitstone Lee Tor, Left option and descend to Ladybower Inn, Cross the Dam, Round Thornhill and Aston, Up to Twitchill Farm, Hope Brink and finish on descending The Roman Road.

Lots and lots of other options, but the above is easy to navigate, quite waterproof routes, Cafe option at Fairholmes and prob take in the better bits without riding miles and miles of filler. All imo of course

Carlos

Edit – Stainypants route is the wrong way round, do it clockwise if you do that one

Edward thanks email inbound.
All of you thanks. It sounds as though it is best to alternate between “The Peaks” and “The Peak District” so as to try and scatter gun my approach and not piss off everyone… (I see this backfiring as Murphy’s law states every “Peaks” person will receive a “Peak District” in estuary English and vice versa, perhaps I should just say “These Lovely Hills”)